THE USE OF ESERINE IN ACUTE INDIGESTION. 
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able, and should always be obtained in sealed glass tubes of two 
grs. each, as they are easily carried, and one tube is sufficient 
for any one case; seldom using more than one-half of it, as it is 
not advisable to repeat the dose in less than three or four hours. 
In preparing the solution use i drachm of distilled water to i gr. , 
of eserine. 
One drachm of the above solution used hypodermically is a safe 
and usually effective dose for an animal of looo lbs. The solu¬ 
tion will keep for several days if kept in a well stoppered bottle 
in a dark place. 
I have obtained the best results from its use in those cases of 
acute indigestion where the bowels and stomach are greatly dis¬ 
tended with gas with no audible intestinal sound. The entire 
tract is temporarily paralyzed from the great strain caused by 
the pressure of the gases and space is at a premium in those 
parts, the stomach being full to overflowing. 
Bearing this in mind and drenches being out of the question 
we resort to a more modern treatment and give hypodermically 
I gr. of eserine, which will increase the peristaltic action of the 
bowels and carry off the gases. 
To prevent further formation of gas I have never found any¬ 
thing better than i oz. pulverized ginger, i drachm beechwood 
creosote, and 2 drachms chloroform, given in capsules. Repeat the 
dose in half an hour if necessary. If the breathing is labored 
and danger of suffocation would use the trocar. 
In all stages of bowel trouble caused by the formation of gas 
I have never found anything to equal eserine. Barium chloride 
has about the same action, but is more difficult to administer on 
account of its being very irritable ; also following its use in 
some cases we have paralysis causing death. 
In cases of sub-acute indigestion, impaction, constipation or 
any of those conditions of torpidity where the symptoms are not 
urgent I prefer aloes, and if they do not give relief in 12 or 15 
hours would use eserine, which will cause the aloetic purge to 
work off nicely. I find eserine does not give relief in those 
cases in the first stages. 
